Paul Kagame, President of the Republic of Rwanda, Visits Campus to Announce Carnegie Mellon University in Rwanda

Carnegie Mellon will extend its global academic footprint as the first major higher education institution in the U.S. to offer graduate engineering degree programs in Rwanda, a tech-savvy East African country building a knowledge-based economy.

Carnegie Mellon celebrated its new partnership with Rwanda on Friday, Sept. 16, when Carnegie Mellon President Jared L. Cohon welcomed Paul Kagame, president of the Republic of Rwanda, and other Rwandan officials to the Pittsburgh campus.

Before a crowd of about 1,000 in Rangos Ballroom, Cohon and Kagame spoke about the successful economic development in Rwanda, the country's ascent to become East Africa's leader in information and communication technology (ICT), and the role Carnegie Mellon will play in helping Rwanda establish a Regional Centre of Excellence.

Carnegie Mellon will initially offer a Master of Information Technology program in Kigali, Rwanda. In addition CMU will collaborate with the Rwandan Government to develop an innovation incubator, advanced practical training programs, executive education programs and a mobility research center.